A Bundle of JackRabbit- JackRabbit Week 2017
by midillu
Summary: A series of Jack/Bunny one-shots for Jackrabbit Week, prompts are as follows- Day 1- Wingfic AU Day 2- Retail AU Day 3- Soulbonded/Soulmate AU Day 4- Royalty AU Day 5- Time Travel Day 6- Crossovers Day 7- Fusions Day 8- Free day (A/B/O) M/M, Don't like, don't read.
1. Wingfic AU

**Summary-** **The gang realizes Jack has wings.**

The guardians were in North's study, together for a fun night. "To relax", North had insisted, forcing them to take a break from their respective duties. Easter had come and gone, so Aster had no excuse, it was too early for snow of any kind, Tooth had delegated her work to her fairies, and Sandy had finished for the night.

So there they were, gathered with all kinds of refreshments, and even some video games and movies North had prepared. It was pretty much a way for all of them to kick back and take a well-earned break. And Jack was enjoying it. It was fun to learn about the others, and hear stories from before he had met them.

At one point, Tooth had started staring at Jack. He couldn't figure out why, and she didn't _say_ anything, but it was still unsettling. It seemed like wherever he went, whoever he talked to, her eyes followed him. And there weren't even that many people in there! Just the five guardians and a few elves. The yetis had mostly retired for the night, but the elves had stuck around, waiting for any and all crumbs to drop.

Finally, after almost an hour, Tooth decided to voice what was on her mind, much to Jack's relief. _Anything_ was better then her incessant staring.

"So, Jack," her tone was nonchalant, but curiosity burned in her eyes. "How do you fly?"

He tilted his head, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I have wings, and Sandy has his sand, but you just kind of seem to fly without anything to assist you. I know a lot of spirits fly like that, but I've never met a previously-human spirit that can fly without wings or some other type of aid." She elaborated, her words quick and rapid-fire, even though she was technically rambling.

"Oh, well usually it's the wind. She carries me, and keeps me steady while I'm in the air." The other guardians nodded in understanding, curiosity mostly sated, before Bunny's brow furrowed, and he fixed his gaze on the floorboards, his speech slow and thoughtful.

"Wait... usually?" He looked to Jack for confirmation, and the winter spirit lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck.

"Oh, well, I mean, I do have wings, but-" He was interrupted by a chorus of surprised exclamations.

"Since when?!" Tooth started to hover, her wings moving fast, as she moved closer to him. "What do they look like? Are they white? Or silver? Are they under your sweatshirt? Do they retract? Can you hover? Are they like mine?" Jack leaned away as she got closer, a little overwhelmed by all her questions.

"Tooth! Personal space, remember?" He joked, running a hand through his hair. Once she had sat back down (though she was still at the edge of her seat, leaning towards him), he shifted forward, lifting his sweatshirt to carefully remove it. Even as he was doing this, he started rambling.

"I don't know how I got them, but I mean, sometimes they just get in the way. And I thought, how funky it would look if my first believers saw me for the first time, and were uncomfortable by my wings? Because they're big and, well, noticeable, and I look human otherwise, so it would be confusing?" He found that he couldn't stop talking, as they stared at his bare torso, as his wings unfurled naturally from where they were previously curled around his body and across his chest.

He ended up having to stand, as they _were_ big- especially on his lithe frame. His wings were indeed silver, with hints of blue spiraling outwards. He didn't know his full wingspan, he had never measured, but he knew that they definitely dwarfed him. He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck again, as he looked away, stealing glances back at the others through the corner of his eye.

"Since I'm a winter spirit, I don't really feel cold, but I figured I needed to stay clothed and stuff, decency and all, but they looked funny under a t-shirt, so I found that sweatshirt and they were hardly noticeable." None of them were saying anything, just staring at him. "Um, so yeah." He cleared his throat, and that seemed to snap them out of their reverie.

"Wow," Tooth breathed, reaching a tentative hand towards him, before catching herself and pulling back, looking up at him. "May I touch them?" He nodded, and she moved forward, reaching a gentle hand to pet over the top of his left wing, in the same way you'd pet a cat. He shivered, and his eyes fluttered closed as she continued, examining them carefully. North was next, his touch fleeting, with the gentle touch of a craftsman.

Jack sighed contentedly, it felt good. His wings got cramped when they were tucked away for long periods of time, and they were really difficult to groom, when he had trouble reaching the ends without bending in weird angles. He realized Tooth was even grooming them a little; she probably had similar issues with her own.

He forced his eyes to focus, and he looked at the other two guardians. Sandy seemed content to watch, but he noticed Bunny kept shifting in his seat, looking like he really wanted to join Tooth and North. Jack couldn't keep the smile off his face; Bunny was stubborn as always. He waited until Tooth flitted off, discussing something with North as the two settled back down on one of the couches together.

"You know, 'Roo, you can feel them too if you want." He stepped closer, and he watched Bunny's ears perk towards him, listening as he shifted his gaze to meet the sprite's eyes.

"Oh whatever ya bloody show pony." Bunny's eyes had a look he couldn't put a finger on, some mixture between longing, sadness, and wistfulness.

* * *

It wasn't until a week later that the topic of his wings was brought up again. Jack and Bunny were in the Warren, sitting in the grass and looking out over the quiet forest. There were a few eggs running around here and there, but, seeing as Easter was months away, it wasn't quite time for eggs yet.

Jack had played a prank on Bunny, that had ended with a few slippery patches of ice and an unhappy rabbit. After chasing the sprite all through the Warren, Aster deemed him suitably punished, and they settled into the grass to catch their breath.

After a few minutes, Jack started to shift uncomfortably. He was trying to get comfortable, but for some reason he just couldn't settle down. It didn't take long for Aster to notice as well, as Jack caught his eye in the middle of adjusting his position.

"Ya alright, mate?" The Pooka asked, sitting up a little.

"Yeah, I just, I... can I take my sweatshirt off? My... it's getting cramped." Jack stumbled through his words, embarrassed, and feeling a distant touch of shame. He looked down at his hands, but he didn't have to wait long for a response; Bunny's reply was almost instant.

"Of course, go ahead," Jack nodded, and winced as he pulled his sweatshirt over his head. It had been a few days since he'd stretched his wings- which probably wasn't healthy, but he hadn't really thought about it.

He was careful not to smack Bunny as his wings unfurled and straightened, and he let out a sigh of relief. It always felt good to let his wings out. That was their purpose, after all.

He almost immediately started preening, his instincts kicking in as he noticed how disheveled they looked. And his pride wouldn't allow him to just leave them ungroomed. He didn't realize Bunny was watching him for a few minutes, totally engrossed in his task. When he did though, he couldn't hide the blush. He paused in his movements, and he almost missed the soft words coming from his companion.

"Can I help?" The question was tentative, as if he thought he would be rejected, as if it was a big deal. However, Jack was grateful for the offer, and quickly nodded.

"Will you work on the back? It's always hard to reach, and it bugs me," The giant rabbit was quick to move, shuffling to sit behind Jack, methodically running his paws through the soft plumage. Jack instantly relaxed into his touch, and Aster marveled at the sprite's subtle reactions to his every caress.

They spent over an hour like that, gently smoothing feathers, though there reached a point where the grooming had fading into just gentle petting. Jack had practically fallen asleep, only partially lucid, when he realized he was practically in Bunny's lap, purring and running his own fingers through Bunny's ridiculously soft fur. They must have figured this out at the same time, as they both froze.

"U-uh," Jack hesitated, at a loss for words, for once.

The taller male just gripped him tight, pulling him closer into a hug.

"I remember when I was just a kit," Bunny's voice was barely a whisper, but Jack heard him clear as day. "My mum and my brothers and sisters would all sit and just spend hours grooming each other." Jack swallowed hard, realizing how important this was to his fellow guardian.

"In my culture, grooming is- _was_ a very important social aspect. It was a big deal, and uh, only done with those you were close to... you groomed with your family, close friends, and, ah, your mate." If the Pooka had been human, Jack was _positive_ he would've been blushing. Aster cleared his throat before continuing. "It's been so long since I've groomed with someone, Jack, you don't know how much this means to me. I- what I'm trying to say is, thank you. For this. It means a lot."

Jack's eyes widened, as he stared up at Bunny, before carefully reaching his hands up to wrap around the other's neck. "Of course, 'Roo, any time. Actually, can we make this a regular thing? 'Cuz, my wings get awfully mussed, and there are so many hard to reach places..." Jack's tone was teasing, but Aster saw the hopeful look in his eyes.

He knew the winter sprite was trying to lighten the solemn mood, and he knew that a 300 year old teenage boy would have trouble with serious feelings and such, but he also knew that that didn't mean Jack didn't understand what he was saying. Because 300 years alone probably wasn't easy for Jack. Just like years of living with only the memories of your species was difficult for Aster.

The two were lonely, and were just starting to recover from the heartache of everything that they had struggled through. But it was a pain that they were _both_ familiar with, and Bunny couldn't help hoping that they could heal together. And who knows, maybe one day Jack would agree to being his mate. As he looked down at the bright blue eyes looking up at him expectantly, he could only smile.

"Sure."

* * *

 **Addressing the internal comment on the similarity to Tooth's wings, I'm basing that off of her look in the books. (Most) everything else is based off of the movie (I like both the books and the movie, but as separate entities, if that makes sense. For me, it's not like they're all grouped together, it's more like there's the Guardians of Childhood series, and then there's the Rise of the Guardians movie), though there are some references to things that are kinda glossed over in the movies, but mentioned in the books. Anyways, since Tooth has like, feathers and stuff in her wings in the books, I figured it was more convenient than her (butterfly? Dragonfly? Hummingbird?)-like wings in the movie.**

 **And seriously. I didn't even try with our favorite Aussie's accent.**


	2. Retail AU

**Summary- Aster had no idea what had compelled him to enter the coffee shop in the first place, but now there's this handsome college kid offering to help him out?**

 **A bit late, I know.**

* * *

E. Aster Bunnymund stared blankly at the menu in front of him. He had decided on a whim to try one of the coffee shops in the area near his work, but had almost immediately started to regret it. He owned numerous companies, had become a millionaire by 25, could speak four languages, and had been working with all kinds of people (for his job) for years, but he couldn't order a stupid cup of coffee.

After waiting impatiently in line for probably twenty minutes, he had finally reached the counter, but was at a loss as to what to order. It seemed like the whole menu was in a different language, with all kinds of things he'd never heard of. There were macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas, and all kinds of additional flavorings you could have added.

He didn't know where to start, and he didn't want to order something he didn't end up liking. Because it was expensive, even to him. He didn't want to spend more than two dollars on a coffee, never mind six.

The barista was nice, all smiles and such, but he could tell she was getting impatient with him. And the people behind him weren't helping. He could feel irritation radiating from all around him. He was started to get frustrated at himself as well, and was about to just leave, when a finger tapped him on the shoulder. He was about to snap at whoever was behind him, when he was met with bright, kind blue eyes. There was a touch of pity, paired with a lopsided grin that would have pissed him off on any other day. Mostly though, he was relieved by the quiet words he registered as coming from the college aged kid in line behind him.

"You need some help there?" Aster ran a hand through his hair, trying to give a small smile as he sighed and nodded. "What are you looking for?"

"Just black coffee, that's all I wanted," he mumbled the last part, and the other male laughed, smiling brightly at the barista. She looked relieved that someone knew what they were doing.

"A tall coffee, no room, and a caramel macchiato please." She nodded, and rung up their order, though it took a minute for Aster to realize the kid was paying for his drink.

"Ah, mate, ya didn't have to do that..." he frowned a bit, feeling a tad guilty, but the other just waved him off.

"Don't worry about it, _mate_ ," he put a bit of teasing emphasis on the 'mate' part, and Aster had to force the blush off his face. His accent always came out at the worst of times. "Just come sit with me for a bit. As compensation. That is, if you have time..." The blonde trailed off, as if the thought had just occurred to him.

Aster chuckled and let the other lead him to one of the little booths. They sat down together as they waited for their drinks, and a hand was quickly thrust out at him.

"I'm Jack, at your service," another grin spread over his features as he joked, his _handsome_ features Aster noted, as he took a good look at the man in front of him. He returned the handshake with a slight grin himself.

"Aster Bunnymund," their eyes met, and their hands lingered for a moment, as each sized up the other.

"So, _Bunny_ , first time at a coffee shop?"

"Don't call me that. And yeah, my ah, coworkers, have been telling me how popular they are now. I figured that since I had some spare time, I may as well try one." Jack nodded in understanding, smile never fading. "I assume you come here often?"

"Yep, the life of a college student I'm afraid."

"I don't know how you afford it though. These things can be so expensive."

"Ah, I have mostly scholarships, and I managed to land a solid part time job, so that definitely helps."

"So you _are_ intelligent," Jack balked a little, indignant, before grinning and letting out an addicting laugh.

"So you _do_ have a sense of humor," he returned good-naturedly, and Aster found himself smiling as well.

By the time their drinks had arrived, the two were deep in conversation, and ended up spending close to an hour and a half in the cozy little shop. Aster was content, he had to admit that he liked Jack, a lot. He was funny, intelligent, and fun to be with in general, and the best part was that the guy didn't even know who he _was_. Jack wasn't spending time with him for his money; they were hanging out because they mutually liked each others' company.

As they got up to leave, their conversation hadn't quite winded down, so they decided to take a walk. When they finally reached a small park, they decided to sit on a bench. The next time Aster looked at his watch, it had been almost three hours since he had met Jack. And that was about when they fell into a comfortable silence. It was so peaceful, Aster was a bit startled when Jack broke the silence.

"I have to admit, I had a bit of an ulterior motive when I helped you out earlier." Aster paled, wondering if Jack was really trying to befriend him for his money after all. "To be honest, I'm gay. And you're exactly my type." Aster barely concealed his relief, unfazed by Jack's sexuality, seeing as he shared it.

"Cold, dark, and unfeeling?" Jack laughed, relief pouring onto his own face from the knowledge that Aster wasn't appalled by his confession.

"No; tall, mature, and handsome." Aster fought the blush off of his face. "I was hoping that maybe by helping you out, I could have the chance to get to know you a bit. And this turned out better than I could've hoped. So I was wondering, if maybe we could do this again? If you don't swing that way, I can understand, but at minimum, I'd like to hang out with you again. I've really enjoyed the last few hours, and I'd like to at least be friends." Aster smirked, and wrapped an arm loosely around Jack's shoulders.

"Honestly, mate, I'm about as straight as the bloody rainbow. And I'd love ta meet with ya again. I've had a lot of fun as well, and I really like ya." Jack blushed at his admission, but smiled brightly all the same. They traded numbers, and Jack beamed as he waved goodbye. It wasn't until the next day that Jack remembered exactly where he had heard Aster's name before.


	3. Soulmate AU

**Summary- J** **ack had always had a pretty Easter egg on his wrist, though he had mostly given up on finding his soulmate. Until he meets a handsome stranger with an intricate snowflake painted on his wrist?**

 **More background than summary though.**

Jack pulled his sweatshirt on, slipping out the door of his apartment with his backpack and a bagel in hand. He was running late for his chemistry class, and it was only the second day. Plus his professor already didn't like him, and he didn't want to get further on her bad side.

Of course, as soon as he opened the door to the classroom, he rammed right into a wall of pure muscle. The guy had to be almost six and a half feet tall, with grey hair, though he looked maybe 25. He was about to apologize when he got a solid glare in return. He huffed, suddenly refusing to entertain the idea of giving an apology, and shoved past the guy. Fuck him.

Except it kept happening. The next two classes, it happened almost the exact same way. Plus, the guy was in his English and Math classes, as well as being in the chem class right before his own. It was frustrating, especially because they didn't get along at all. His friends found him funny, as he ranted on and on about "that stupid Aussie guy". And Tooth kept giggling something about a crush, and Jack had _no_ idea where she got that idea.

He learned his name through the roll call, Aster Bunnymund. Weird name for a weird guy. And they continued to banter back and forth, falling into a simple routine.

Of course, everything changed during week three.

He had arrived to his English class fifteen minutes early, to find that the Aussie was one of the few students in the classroom already. Deciding to annoy the other man, he snuck up behind him and peered over his shoulder. He saw some different sketches, all of Easter eggs. He must have voiced his confusion, because the next thing he knew, Aster had spun around, blushing slightly and glaring at Jack, covering up his work with a tattooed arm.

Jack managed to grab the sketchbook, hopping out of the other's desperate reach. Flipping through the worn pages, he gave each picture a glance before he froze, staring wide eyed at one page.

It was a full page portrait of one Easter egg. In color, and ridiculously complex. Any other person would be amazed, speechless even, due to it's simplistic beauty and fantastic detail, but Jack was more than floored. He looked up at Aster shakily, and the man looked a mixture of worried, distraught, and upset himself.

"It's, well," Aster cleared his throat, looking away. "I started it as a little kid, and it just kind of grew more and more complex. I recently transferred it into this sketchbook, and added more to it. It's kind of got parts of my life story in it, too."

Jack traced over it lightly with his fingers, asking a question he already knew the answer to. "Who'd you make it for?"

"Ah," the Aussie rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Actually, my soulmate. I wanted to give them something to, help them get to know me I guess." Aster sighed and sat back against the table across from him. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this..."

Jack stepped forward, standing right in front of the taller male. Aster froze, looking at him in confusion, opening his mouth to speak, before closing it when he noticed that Jack was blushing.

"Something wrong, mate?" He asked cautiously, before the lanky male jerked up the sleeve of his sweatshirt and thrust his forearm into Aster's face. It took him a moment to realize what exactly Jack was trying to show him, but when he did, his eyes widened to the size of saucers.

He gingerly grasped Jack's wrist, turning it to examine the dainty egg taking up most of the room on his wrist. He immediately recognized it; that was _his_ egg. He only looked up when Jack gave a small chuckle, a lazy smirk on his face.

"I guess now I know why the egg would gain new details every once in a while," Aster gave a small smile, turning over his own wrist to show Jack an intricate snowflake centered over the artery there.

"The only thing on my arm that isn't a tattoo," Jack laughed at that, and any tension between them was suddenly gone. Aster looked around at the other students making their way into the classroom, and leaned closer to Jack. "How about we get coffee later?"

Jack rolled his eyes, but grinned. "Sure, but you're buying. Payback for shoving me that first day we met." He laughed as he slid into his seat, all the way across the room by the time he heard the other man's indignant cry.


	4. Royalty AU

**Day 4- Royalty AU- The (once) crown prince of the Pookas decides that maybe good can come from tragedy.**

 **Okay. So this is so late it isn't even funny. I'm just going to, um, post this and let you guys have it. I just want to thank everyone for the support for this story, and apologize for not updating for like a year and a half? Um. Yeah, motivation has just been scarce... But thank you guys for commenting anyways. I hope you like this chapter. I'm going to try my best to get this fic finished.**

* * *

E. Aster Bunnymund, the Crown Prince of the Pookan Empire, watched in horror as their capital fell around him. His mother, father, siblings, all killed one after the other. His robes rustled and fluttered around him as he rushed down the endless halls, watching the palace burn. Bursting out the main entrance he drew his sword, trying to take out as many fearlings as he could.

His efforts were in vain, however, as he couldn't seem to stop the slaughter of his subjects, watching the demise of entire families in just seconds.

It hurt.

As he was pulled away by his bodyguards.

He watched helplessly at the mass genocide.

He saw, just before everything went black, his beloved mate falling to the ground, dead.

Soon falling under the effects of a powerful sedative.

Silent tears slipping down the cheeks of an unconscious prince.

* * *

Waking up was an abrupt experience. Consciousness hit him with a force of unadulterated grief as he became aware of the tears trickling down his face. Aster slowly sat up, rubbing at the tears as a hiccuping sob burst out of him.

He had become complacent. He had pushed past his guilt and grief long enough to become almost happy, and that was his mistake. He couldn't forget. He had to remember. Because they didn't deserve to be forgotten. He should have died with them, he shouldn't be alive.

According to North, it was survivor's guilt. According to Tooth, it wasn't his fault and he deserved to be happy. According to Sandy, well, all the man could do to show his support was to indicate his agreement with the other Guardians, but Aster got the idea.

And then there was Jack. The reason Aster had slipped up in the first place. Stupid Jack, visiting the Warren regularly, making Bunny smile, playing pranks and making sure Bunny actually eats and sleeps regularly. It had been a few years since the battle with Pitch, and Jack had been practically glued to his side since. It was endearing in a way, and he found himself even missing the frost sprite when he was gone fulfilling his own duties, but if it was causing Bunny to forget his people, then it had to stop.

"'Roo! I'm here!"

"Speak of the devil," Bunny muttered, hardening his features and shutting down the part of his mind that was screaming for him to rethink his decision, reminding him of how much he loved Jack's presence in the Warren. How much he'd miss the sprite. How much he hated to hurt the boy after all the poor kid had been through. Reminding him of how much he loved Jack.

When Jack spotted the large rabbit, he swooped down to land gracefully in front of Bunny, his toes adding a faint frost to the grass where he stood. Bunny took a moment to steady himself, refusing to acknowledge the bright smile on Jack's face, determined and steadfast in his decision. Jack had to go.

"Did you miss me Bun-bun?" Jack teased good-naturedly. The nicknames had become more of an inside joke between the two than actual insults. Bunny didn't think about how much he'd miss them.

"Jack, there's something we need to talk about," He spoke softly, his accent thick.

"Sure, what is it?" Jack cocked his head to the side, the only indication of his slight distress at those words being the way he shifted from one foot to the other.

"You should stop coming to the Warren." There was quiet between them, the only sound in the slight breeze caressing the flora in the Warren, which Bunny picked up with his incredible hearing. Unfortunately, that hearing was also what allowed him to hear the hitch in Jack's breath. There was a brief temperature drop in the Warren before Jack's bright smile was once again plastered on his face.

"O-oh, I get it," he exclaimed. "This is a prank! Good job Bunny, you almost had me there." Jack started to brush past Bunny, but the large rabbit only grabbed his arm.

"I'm serious," he murmured, feeling Jack stiffen. He took a deep breath, feeling his voice and resolve strengthening with each word. "You're always playing pranks and distracting me from my work, and you make the Warren's temperatures fluctuate, which is bad for my googies. And really," Bunny prepared himself for the final blow. "You're just an annoyance to me." There was a serious chill in the Warren now, and Bunny forced himself not to shiver. He held his breath, waiting for Jack's reaction, hoping it would be quick so he could break down in peace.

"You really feel that way?" Jack asked quietly, turning to face Bunny, and the rabbit felt a pain in his heart, easily spotting the insecurities that had flooded Jack's features. The sprite looked him in the eye, hoping, searching for any signs that Bunny had been lying, pulling some cruel prank. Bunny watched that hope die, slowly, painfully.

Bunny blinked, and Jack was gone. He looked down in a daze, briefly noticing the layer of frost that covered the Warren.

It had been necessary, he told himself, but it was a weak argument.

* * *

The next time he saw Jack, it was at a Guardian's meeting. They had taken to monthly meetings, keeping up to date with each other, and maintaining friendships. It was nice, before. Now Bunny dreaded it. And it went about as he had expected. Jack looked miserable, and he refused to even look at Bunny. The others noticed, he was sure of it, but they didn't comment.

It didn't appear that Jack had told them, which Bunny was grateful for. For once the sprite's stubbornness came in handy. He knew the others would become upset with him, saying that his fears were unfounded, that he deserved happiness. But he knew the truth. Bunny knew that he didn't deserve happiness. Not after leaving, like a coward.

* * *

Jack and Bunny went on for months like that, in the state of seeing each other regularly, but actively avoiding any interaction.

Of course, the day Jack finally cracked, it didn't take long before Bunny's home was invaded. North was livid, practically seething. Tooth was a mask of cool calculation, but her set jaw gave her away. Sandy also seemed upset, but also pitying, which was worse than the other two. Bunny spotted Jack as well, hanging back behind the angry Guardians, his hood over his head, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

Immediately defensive, Bunny bristled, trying to prepare himself for what was to come. What he wasn't expecting, was for North to suddenly deflate. "What are you thinking, old friend?" He looked Bunny straight in the eye, shocking the Pooka. "You're pushing us away again, and you were finally looking happy, too." Bunny avoided the intimidating gaze, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat.

"I can't be happy," he found himself muttering, staring down at his large feet.

"No, Aster," Tooth whispered. "You don't let yourself be happy."

"I'm not allowed," Bunny bellowed, anguished. "I don't deserve it!"

The next outburst was from Jack, who marched up to Bunny, surprising the Pooka into backing away from the winter sprite. Jack was undeterred, however, glaring up at the large rabbit. "Everyone deserves happiness," he growled. "North told me about your past." Before Bunny could turn on North, Jack continued. "Can you seriously tell me that your entire race wants you, the one survivor, to mope around for the rest of his days, wishing death upon himself? Because if it was me, and at one point it was me, I'd want the survivor to live. Not just survive, live and love and be happy, enjoy life for everyone that can't. You're alive for a reason, Bunnymund. And you're disgracing your entire race by moping." The harsh words rendered the Pooka speechless. It took him a moment to process, but he finally got it.

He'd spent centuries feeling guilty, grieving for his people, the people he had sworn to protect. But now, there was no war. There was nothing for him to focus on, so he was relying on the burden of grief to keep him grounded. Bunny sat down heavily, eyes wide. Instead of wishing he was dead, he should live, to celebrate his species, to remember those that had been lost. To honor their memory, rather than hide in it. It took him a while, but he finally managed to lift his head to meet the eyes of his friends.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, meeting each of their eyes, feeling tears fill his eyes. "I've been so focused on what I lost, I didn't realize what I have." Tooth and Jack were suddenly in his arms, hugging him for all he was worth, pulling him to his feet as he let the tears fall freely. Sandy was next, floating up to pat his shoulder comfortingly. Finally North swept him up, hugging him until he could barely breathe, but Bunny hugged back all the same.

The Guardians spent the rest of the day at Bunny's Warren, playing with some of the eggs, splashing in the color stream, and playing games in the forest on the outskirts. It was incredibly childish, Bunny noted, but a bit of Jack's magic and they were all having a snowball fight to remember. It was exactly what Bunny needed.

Finally, as the day reached a close, Tooth and Sandy had to get back to work, and North left as well, leaving Jack and Bunny by themselves. After chatting for a while, strolling over the hills and enjoying the magic sunset, Bunny was surprised to be tugged into a fierce hug. It took him a second to hug back, belatedly realizing that Jack was crying into his fur. Shocked, he tried to gently pat and rub Jack's back, worried as to what brought on this reaction.

"I missed you, Princey," Jack whispered. Bunny stiffened, eyes widening as he looked down at... "I got my memories of my human life after Pitch, but it took North's recollection of your story for me to remember my previous life as well." As Jack's words sunk in, he found himself hugging the sprite closer.

* * *

A white Pooka pushed Aster into a hidden room, fighting off three fearlings as he worked to shut the door. "We don't have long, princey. It won't take them long to open the door." He turned to face Aster, smiling reassuringly. "You have to go. It'll be okay, I promise. Just please, be safe." The Pooka, his beloved mate, nuzzled him one last time, before turning to face the banging on the door. "Go!"

Aster ran, turning back one last time, watching his mate fall, blood pooling underneath his still figure. Tears filled his eyes, making his world blurry, barely making it to the checkpoint, sedative filling the escape pod as it placed him in a stasis, allowing him to be preserved until the pod reached it's far, far away destination. A small, brand new planet, yet to be named.

* * *

Four words, two voices, one soul, centuries apart.

One the last, the other the first.

"I love you, Aster."


	5. Time Travel

**Day 5- Time Travel- Jack decides to show Bunny his memories.**

* * *

"How did you know you were the Guardian of Hope?" Jack asked on a whim one day while they were working on painting eggs.

"Ah, well that's a long story, quite the downer, really," Bunny shifted uncomfortably, shooting uncertain glances in Jack's direction. The sprite paused his work, twisting to face the Pooka.

"If you're comfortable telling it, I wouldn't mind hearing it," Jack murmured quietly, going back to the frost pattern he was decorating his egg with, giving Bunny the chance to decide without pressuring him.

"If ya really want to hear it, I'll tell you." Bunny finally told him, setting aside the paint supplies and placing his egg where it could easily dry, watching Jack do the same.

It took two hours, but Bunny told Jack everything. About the Pookas, and what Pitch had done. He described how he had managed to escape, ending up on Earth and starting over, the only survivor. He recalled how he met each of the Guardians, how he became a Guardian, and how it had taken him centuries, but he had realized that he had only made it through what had happened to him because of his hope. He had hoped to survive, to win the war. Hoped for happiness, hoped for friends, and had worked to make that hope into a reality. If he hadn't hoped through everything, he would've given up.

Jack listened, intently, with wide eyes from beginning to end. When Bunny finished, there was a comfortable silence, as Bunny picked up his brushes and resumed painting, allowing Jack time to process. Eventually, Jack picked up a paintbrush as well, and they slowly went back to chatting and teasing.

When Jack left later that day, he paused, hugging Bunny briefly and thanking him, before shooting out of the Warren. Bunny chuckled fondly after him, before turning and walking back to his Burrow.

* * *

After the two had had their little heart-to-heart, they began growing closer than ever before. Jack visited the Warren so frequently that if any of the other Guardians needed him, they'd check with Bunny before anywhere else. The Pooka had even designated a room for Jack, an open invitation for if the sprite ever wanted to spend a night or two. While Jack rarely took him up on his offer, Bunny knew that his fellow Guardian truly appreciated the proof that he was always welcome in Bunny's home. At Jack's insistence, Bunny had adjusted his magic to allow Jack to use the ancient tunnels whenever he needed.

Aster found that he quite enjoyed Jack's company. The boy was funny, and dorky, and knew how to make him laugh. While the pranks could be annoying to clean up, Bunny quickly found that the boy was eager to help clean up, and had actually improved his pranks over time in order to make cleanup easier- which Bunny greatly appreciated.

After a few months of spending time together, Aster finally realized that they hadn't talked about how Jack knew he was the Guardian of Fun. And of course, his curiosity was peaked. The rabbit spent a few days pondering and theorizing, his thoughts so jumbled that he found himself drawing snowflakes in his sketchbooks, unable to come up with new designs with the question burning in his mind.

It would be a few days, as Jack was incredibly busy. The first snowfall was a few days away, and Jack had a lot of preparations to take care of. While Bunny had never previously thought about it, he was starting to realize that Jack actually took his job very seriously, and put a lot of work into making his season as safe as possible. Of course, he didn't always succeed, and Bunny had found himself comforting the distraught sprite on more than one occasion, but overall Jack was good at what he did.

It wasn't until the fifth day that the Pooka took into consideration that maybe Jack wouldn't want to answer his question. A lot of sprites and seasonal Spirits didn't like talking about their pasts, and it had been centuries before he himself was willing to even entertain the thought of sharing all that had happened to him. Even talking to Jack about it was still painful, as his pain was timeless.

But he didn't want to think about that. Instead, Bunny just decided that he'd ask. Even if Jack said no, there was still a possibility he'd say yes, and Bunny had to try. This decided, he ceased fretting and resumed waiting.

As the days turned into a week, Bunny became impatient. Every day that he waited for Jack to come and visit him, Bunny got more cranky and frustrated. He didn't like waiting. You'd think that centuries of existence would have taught him patience, but that was why he had connections and books. To answer questions. Bunny hated unanswered questions.

Day 9 left Bunny useless. He couldn't function, couldn't think about anything else. He'd been devolved into a whining child, sprawled out on the grass after pacing for hours to work off his frustration. If North had been there, he probably would've declared that the Pooka was pouting. And Bunny would've adamantly argued that that was not the case. Not that he would admit it if it was true.

On day 12, Aster was ready to go out and look for the bloody kid himself. Not only was his curiosity driving him crazy, but he was also worried about Jack. The boy had promised him it'd only take a few days at most, and even if it was going to be longer, Jack had promised he'd check in at least once. Bunny buried his head in his paws. He was sitting at his only table, installed at Jack's request, so the two could have meals together every once in a while. The Pooka had been surprised to find it a pleasant place to sketch, as there was a small window close enough to let in a good amount of fake natural light. He lasted a short few minutes before he finally gave up and stood, reaching for his boomerangs.

He closed the door, turning only to pause, stiffening as his ears twitched, senses insisting that something was off. It took him less than a second to relax, realizing that it was just Jack, noticing the familiar hint of a cool breeze that came with the winter Spirit. His tension eased prematurely however, he realized, as Jack's presence felt weak. He rushed towards the faint indications, finding Jack collapsed on one of the many hills. He scooped the sprite up easily into his arms, rushing Jack back to his burrow, placing the Guardian on the bed in the room Jack had claimed as his own.

"Jack? Jack!" He took a moment to frantically check for a pulse, finding nothing and ending up with cold paws for his trouble. This, of course, was when he panicked. After a minute of trying desperately to rack his brain for any useful information that could help his friend, Bunny tried again for a pulse, only to have bright blue eyes open blearily. If Bunny hadn't been so relieved that there was a sign of life, he would've noticed how there still wasn't a pulse coming from Jack, even as his chest rose and fell to mimic regular human functions.

"Hey Bunny-butt, miss me?" The Pooka let out a sigh of relief, glad that the obnoxious brat was at least feeling well enough to be, well, an obnoxious brat.

"Bloody hell, Jack, did you have to give me a heart attack?" He grumbled, plopping himself on the bed next to Jack, forcefully tucking the Spirit into bed even as he tried to get out of the bed. "You need to rest, you Gumby, you're obviously exhausted from, well, whatever you were doing out there." Jack sighed in defeat, shrugging his shoulders as he resigned himself to his inevitable fate of being coddled by a six-foot-tall rabbit.

"My job," Jack mumbled, to a rather confused Bunny.

"What?"

"I was doing my job," he clarified, trying to keep the slight pout from showing.

"Well, it still seems like you pushed yourself rather hard this year. Just rest, alright?" Bunny stood, meeting Jack's sullen frown with a stubborn one of his own, knowing he had won once Jack flopped back dramatically. "Sleep well, frostbite," he whispered to himself, turning off the light and closing the door to Jack's room, not noticing the slight smile that lit up Jack's face at the insult-turned-endearment.

* * *

It wasn't until a number of hours had passed that Bunny realized Jack didn't have a pulse, even conscious. After a few minutes of consideration, he found himself becoming steadily more confused. Spirits, in general, were nonhumans, and fit into one of two types: those who depended on believers, and those who didn't.

The former category consisted primarily of those with their own holidays, such as "The Easter Bunny", as well as those that were featured in folklore and urban legends. Generally, most Spirits that fit the first criteria also fit the second, seeing as most holidays have their own folklore. However, holiday Spirits tended to be a snooty bunch and had insisted that they should be set apart, even as they continue to fight amongst themselves for superiority. While North and Bunny were dissimilar in the first aspect, they actively argued the second point. Neither would admit defeat, even for the sake of peace, meaning that their feud had been going on for centuries and showed no signs of ceasing.

The latter category, those not dependant on believers, was made up of seasonal Spirits, the occasional ghost, and other miscellaneous Spirits. Seasonals tended to be nymph and fairy types, or other Spirits with seasonal powers. Ghosts usually spawned from dead individuals that struggled to find peace, but Reaper-types were tasked with the job of helping them find peace enough to move on.

While individuals in the second group often had similarities to the first, such as folklore (Reapers), the primary difference still lay in the fact that some beings will exist with or without believers. And seeing as death occurs regardless of your opinion on the matter, Reapers will never be out of a job.

That in mind, Bunny easily classified Jack as a Type 1, but the problem laid in his human status. Seeing as Reapers were designed to prevent humans from hanging around after their death, it was unheard of for a human spirit to become a Spirit. Of course, the boy was destined to become a Guardian and defeat Pitch, so gaining Spirit status would've been necessary at the time of his death. Of course, that brought up a detail that unsettled Bunny.

Jack had died.

* * *

It took two full days before Jack finally regained complete consciousness. In the meantime, Bunny did his best to care for Jack, reaching a panicked dilemma when he started to question if Jack required food and water to survive. To be on the safe side, he decided to periodically wake Jack up to get him to eat and drink, feeling guilty every time as he watched Jack groggily try and obey Bunny's gentle prompting.

When Jack awoke on the second day, there was no stopping him. It was as if his health bar had hit full, and full he was. Full of energy, and full of himself. The second Jack was awake, Bunny knew. The eager sprite shot from place to place, talking a mile a minute. It took Bunny to come up with an accurate comparison, even as he was filled with a sense of deja vu. Finally, he recognized the behavior; it was not unlike Tooth.

* * *

The knowledge that Jack had most likely died before becoming a Spirit made Bunny hesitant to ask. Not any less curious, but hesitant. He had a feeling that the memories were most likely painful, and he hated to be the one to drudge up that sorrow.

He debated for almost two weeks after Jack fully recovered from his draining beginning-of-winter duties, before finally pushing aside the guilt long enough to ask. Of course, even as he spent hours debating the phrasing for his insensitive question, the final product came out less than eloquent.

"Hey, Jack?" They were sitting on one of the grassy knolls in the vast Warren. Jack was picking flowers for flower crowns, and Bunny had been reading the same paragraph for almost an hour.

"Mm?" Jack hummed questioningly, not bothering to look up from his task. He wasn't oblivious enough to be completely unaware of Bunny's internal struggle, knowing from experience that focusing on the large rabbit as he tried to formulate difficult, strange, or uncomfortable questions only led to Bunny losing his nerve.

"Did... How- I mean," he tried to say something along the lines of 'How did you become a Spirit?', or 'how did you die?', but somehow the final product ended up- "How did you die a Spirit?" Jack looked up then, and Bunny blinked. If he didn't have fur covering his face, Bunny was sure he would've been as red as North's coat.

Jack only blinked, tilting his head slightly and looking at Bunny calculatingly. "You heard about that?" Bunny could only nod mutely, waiting to see if the winter sprite would answer his strangely worded question. Suddenly, Jack's face broke out into a rather proud smirk. "It was actually very difficult, and quite a long process," Bunny's eyes widened. "It took a lot of experimentation, and it was forever before I finally got the proper mixture, but it was so worth it when it worked!" He beamed excitedly, and Bunny felt some of his fur growing whiter. He had vastly underestimated Jack.

Jack let out a pleased and nostalgic hum. "I'll never forget the look on his face when he realized he was suddenly purple!" Suicide was not what he had... Bunny blinked, his forehead furrowing in confusion.

"What?" He croaked.

"I mean, yeah he's still got some leftover patches, and the first few decades I was dodging assassination attempts, but again, totally worth it." Jack crowed, Bunny unable to put two words together, and too bewildered to try to correct Jack's interpretation of a bad question.

"I," Bunny tried, losing whatever nerve he had left as he stared at his paws, frustrated at himself but also grateful, every time he thought about it, he became more unsure of whether asking that nagging question was even worth it.

"I know," Jack whispered after a moment, meeting Bunny's startled eyes with his own blue ones, giving a gentle smile that both reassured Bunny and worried him, as he had never seen such a strange mixture of fondness, pain, and... something else that he couldn't identify. Jack turned his face slightly away from Bunny, whispering something quietly in a dialect the ancient rabbit had never heard previously. A snap of pale fingers and a bright golden capsule appeared in Jack's open palm. More whispered words, and Bunny suddenly heard a faint voice.

"Jack!" He didn't recognize the voice, but he felt a sudden surge of protectiveness, surprising him. He turned to Jack, only to find the Spirit gazing knowingly back at him.

"It does that," Jack's tone was soft. "I couldn't bring myself to leave it somewhere, so I had an old friend adjust it so I can keep it with me without it constantly calling out to me. Curiosity and a few adjustments led to an experiment, and now I can extend it's range so others can hear it. I haven't shown the others yet, but," Jack trailed off, his eyes slightly unfocused before he seemed to suddenly snap back to reality. "Someday," Bunny could barely hear the word, even with his superior hearing, but he still managed to pick it up.

"You don't have to," Bunny told him. "It was just a stupid curiosity. I told you my story, then I started to wonder, and when you collapsed, I checked, you didn't..."

"No heartbeat," Jack seemed to read his mind. "It's okay, Bunny. I've held onto it for too long, overanalyzing and questioning. I think it would be good for someone else's perspective." He smiled reassuringly, holding the capsule out to Bunny. Hearing it calling to him, Bunny took it before he could even think about it. The second his paw grasped the small container, his surroundings flashed and changed. Suddenly he was seeing through the eyes of a brown-haired teen.

Scene after scene flashed by, depicting different aspects of the boy's life, from climbing trees to playing pranks, to telling stories. In every scene, he noticed one constant: a girl with long brown hair. "Jack!" She cried time after time, different inflection telling him exactly how she meant the four-letter pronoun. Exasperated, happy, fond, upset, angry, frustrated, and finally, fearful.

"I'm scared," he watched with wide eyes as Jack calmly dealt with the situation, easily keeping his sister calm while working to pull her to safety. When she was finally safe, he let out a sigh of relief. Of course, it was a moment too soon, as the very next second Jack was dragged under the surface of the freezing water. Bunny dazedly watched over 300 years of loneliness, pain, suffering, and most of all, the feeling of not knowing why.

Something about the capsule, he realized, he felt everything Jack felt. His chest felt hollow with the burning, aching question.

Why.

He was grateful when the painful feeling finally dissolved, hope welling up in its stead. He watched familiar interactions through new eyes, and couldn't keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks.

The dream-like state faded as abruptly as it had started, leaving Bunny dazed and speechless; processing. Jack, to his credit, waited patiently. When the rabbit finally broke out of his daze, he felt the weight of what he'd just experience. Eyes filling with tears once more, he found himself pulling Jack into his arms, holding the boy tight, wishing that he could've been there for Jack, resolving to do better in the future, to give Jack all that the boy deserved.

If Bunny was more protective of Jack in the months to come, more indulgent and even caring, the others didn't comment. It surprised the other three Guardians, to say the least, but they knew that the newest addition to their ragtag family most definitely deserved all the love they could give.

* * *

 **If anyone is interested in proof-reading my stuff for me, or you want someone to talk to, or want to be someone for me to bounce ideas off of, or you want to give me prompts, or poke me with a cattle prod to update, hit me up!**


	6. Crossover

**Whelp, this was an angst storm. Not quite what I anticipated, but here you go!** **Trigger warning for major insecurities, insecurities, and depressive thoughts**

* * *

"-And then Rapunzel tripped on a tree root and went tumbling down the hill, taking Merida _and_ Hiccup with her, and they all got tangled in her hair! Toothless got so worried about Hiccup, he tried to pull him out, but it just ended up making everyone more tangled and it was so funny!" Jack chattered on about the day he'd had, unknowingly making Bunny more grumpy by the second. The two were painting eggs on one of the many hills in the Warren, but even the rhythmic motions weren't successful in keeping him calm.

This was the first time in multiple weeks that they'd managed to get some alone time together, and of course all Jack could talk about were his new _friends_. Of course Bunny wasn't upset about Jack having friends, he was actually elated, glad that Jack had people he could relate to and have fun with. But these people were cutting in on their alone time, time that had been becoming slowly harder to come by. After living for countless centuries, the Pooka had become well-versed in the art of patience. But weeks of sparsely seeing his beloved would make anyone's patience quickly evaporate. Of course, even when they _did_ manage to carve out time to spend time together, it was spent by Jack prattling on and on about them.

For the first few weeks, he allowed it. He was happy for Jack and loved how happy it made the sprite. But the longer it went on, the more bitter he became. He was a rather possessive rabbit, he could admit. He was used to having Jack all to himself, used to Jack's undivided attention. He wasn't used to hearing about people he'd never even _met_.

Before Jack, it'd been millennials since he'd been so close to someone. In ancient Pooka society, it had been commonplace to spend your days surrounded by dozens of other Pookas, but after losing that common comfort, he was desperate, starving for affection. He knew that Jack was as well, having spent his own period of time completely alone, and that was probably why he clung to these new friends of his. But Bunny had thought, he had _assumed_ that he was enough for Jack.

As Jack flitted off, leaving for yet another meetup with the others, the thought hit him hard.

He wasn't enough for Jack.

How could he be? Jack was an incredibly bubbly and social creature. Bunny was gruff, rough around the edges, and snappish at the best of times. He was awkward with social situations, yet desperate for them all the same. Jack needed socially adept people surrounding him, people he could joke with easily, people that could effortlessly give him the praise and affection he craved.

Aster had thought that he was doing better, doing his best to try and share his appreciation for the sprite whenever he could. He had been trying to give out more casual touches, and he was always blown away by the responses he received every time he tried, which encouraged him to continue to try harder.

Of course, it still wasn't enough. Not even centuries could help repair the damage he had endured. The PTSD was still affecting him, even after so long. Jack deserved better than someone who woke him up in the early hours of the morning, one nightmare after another keeping them both awake, regardless of Pitch's influence, or lack thereof. It didn't take just a few years to cure all the damage he had been dealt. He was a failure, to his species and to his mate.

A hollow feeling started to build deep in his heart, causing a distinct ache to form. The loneliness overwhelmed him, and before he could get a handle on it, his magic had become affected. Flowers around the Warren began to wilt, as grass slowly turned to an ugly shade of brown. His colorful river remained unaffected, but the other artificial water sources began to dry up. The air became stagnant, and the happy sunshine began to dim. Tears were flowing before he could even consciously understand what was happening, and Bunny curled in on himself, a pained howl erupting from him before he could stop it.

"Oh, honey," the Pooka jolted, turning towards the voice, but unable to control his reaction. He continued to sob, even as he identified the voice. He blinked through his tears, blearily making out Cupid, crouched in front of him. It took him a few minutes to calm himself down enough to speak, and Cupid patiently waited for him, patting his shoulder gently and rubbing his back, letting him cry.

"Why are you here?" His words were stilted and hiccuped sobs interrupted the sentence, but the spirit of love seemed to get his meaning.

"Love is my scene, babe. All aspects of it." Cupid shot him a pointed glance, one eyebrow raised. "Even heartbreak, doll." Bunny's eyes widened, as more tears slipped down his furry cheeks.

"What happened? I thought you and Jack were Gucci." Cupid asked, concerned, especially when Bunny stiffened at the mention of his mate. "I'm not sensing anything from Jack, just you."

"It's my fault," Bunny could only whimper. "I'm not enough, he deserves better." He started to fall deeper into his self-dug pit of despair, only to be literally slapped out of it. He raised a paw up to his cheek, frowning at the unhappy spirit in front of him.

"You, E. Aster Bunnymund, last of the Pooka race, are an absolute fool," Cupid sighed, rubbing his forehead to ease the special type of a migraine that always formed around "idiots in love". With a wave of his hand, an image was conjured in front of them, depicting Jack and three others, who Bunny could only assume were his new friends.

Jack was propped up on a low-hanging tree branch, a girl with frizzy red hair was sharpening some sort of weapon, a girl with insanely long blonde hair was trying fruitlessly to braid the redhead's hair, and a brunet boy was leaning against a giant black... dragon? Before Bunny could become even more upset, his astute hearing caught the muffled conversation the four were having.

"-And he planned this whole elaborate evening, just to cheer me up!" Jack was talking animatedly, and it took Bunny a moment to recognize the story. "It was so sweet, we visited so many places, each one with a different one of my believers, who had prepared some sort of speech about how much they enjoyed snow and winter and why they were glad I had visited them. I was feeling so insecure, and he did all of that, for me! It was the best, he's so amazing, I don't know what I'd do without him." Jack finished, his tone dreamy.

"Y'anno, Jack, you talk about this guy so much-" the redhead started.

"Like all the time!" The blonde chimed in.

"When are we ever gonna get to meet him?" She finished, hardly phased by the interruption. "With those boomerangs, I want to see that, I've never heard of boomerangs for weapons."

"Yeah, Jack!" The brunet grinned. "He sounds awesome, plus his designs sound so cool, I wonder if he'd be interested in comparing art, or if he'd have input on some of my inventions."

"Does he really have fur? I wonder how he keeps it clean. I'd like to see his art, too, maybe we could paint together!" The blonde inquired, matching and almost exceeding the others' enthusiasm with her bubbly personality.

Bunny blinked, watching them chatter, as Jack brightened at the others' interest in his mate. "I'd have to ask him! He's super busy, but maybe you guys could all come to visit us at the Warren. Speaking of which, I should probably get home, it's late and I _promised_ I'd be home for dinner, and he's so stubborn he'll wait until I get there, and he's so _grumpy_ when he's hungry." Jack emphasized, grinning and starting on his goodbyes.

Overwhelmed by the new information, Bunny barely noticed when Cupid waved away the image. "You two need to talk," Cupid murmured, and Bunny nodded minutely. The rabbit barely noticed when the spirit of love left his presence, setting his mind on returning the Warren to its normal state. He forced himself to focus on the task and refused to allow himself time to think, quickly setting to work on the dinner that Jack had insisted on coming home for as soon as the Warren was to his liking.

The moment Jack returned, Bunny knew. He'd always been hyperaware of the winter spirit, but after their courting had started, that awareness had only increased. He picked up on the two-degree difference in temperature, the hint of a cool breeze, and the twinge of a minty scent that slowly diffused into the air around him. Every one of his senses had become so attuned to his mate, without him even consciously doing so. He propped open the door to the Burrow, coming face-to-face with a slightly pouty Jack.

"Someone's been here," his mate stated, a curious eyebrow raised. Jack didn't question it and didn't pressure him for answers, but his straightforward nature refused to allow him to filter his thoughts. Of course, Bunny loved this about him, but he was unsure how to broach the topic.

"Dinner's ready," He changed the subject, chinning Jack in greeting, and his mate allowed it, slipping past him to flit in the direction of the stove, eager to find the source of the delicious scent in the air. They didn't necessarily require sustenance, as their life-force depended on their believers, however, most spirits enjoyed the indulgence of warm meals upon occasion. And Jack, as someone who had once been human, enjoyed the domesticity of sitting down to eat together. Bunny took comfort in it as well, though he wouldn't admit it.

Neither spoke as Jack set the table and Bunny dished out the food, companionable silence falling between them as they ate. It was only after they had finished that Bunny tried to pull together his thoughts, and Jack remained silent, allowing him time to do so.

"Cupid was here," he finally offered, for lack of a better opening.

"Oh?" Jack tilted his head, face neutral, non-confrontational, and open, allowing Bunny to get all of his thoughts out into the open before truly responding.

"Apparently along with the traditional aspects of love, they're also involved with," Asper cleared his throat, searching for words. "The more unsavory aspects of the emotion." He stared at his plate, fiddling with his utensils.

Jack slowly reached over the top of the table, having learned early on that it's best not to startle a member of a traditionally prey species, placing his hand over Bunny's paws, stilling them in a silent comfort.

"I was... upset," Bunny admitted softly. "Insecure, I suppose you would call it."

"Bunny," Jack tried, but he wasn't finished.

"It's not that I don't want you to have friends, I'm happy for you and I love seeing you so happy, it's just, we haven't seen each other lately, and it felt like every time I _did_ see you, you were talking about them, and I just felt..." Soft fingers touched his cheeks, and Bunny realized that they were wiping away the tears starting to fall.

Jack rose, floating right up and over the table to sit in the large rabbit's lap, wrapping his arms around Bunny's neck as Bunny leaned down to rest his forehead on Jack's shoulder. Bunny took a moment to gather himself once more, before trying to speak again.

He opened his mouth to speak, and suddenly the dam was broken. "Before I knew it everything was wilting and drying up and I couldn't control it, and it just hurt so much, because even though I know better, I couldn't help feeling like you didn't need me anymore, and then suddenly Cupid was there, and they showed me you, and you were talking about _me_ , and how much you love me, and I just felt so _stupid_ , because I know better, but I was just feeling so lonely, and I didn't know what to do." Jack listened quietly, rubbing Bunny's shoulders comfortingly, allowing silent tears to fall as he heard how upset his mate was.

"I'm so sorry you felt that way, Aster. I knew we hadn't been spending that much time together, but I kept assuming that you'd be fine with it, and I didn't stop to think about how you were feeling. It's my job as your mate to make sure that you're feeling loved and happy, and I didn't do my job properly. I promise I'll do better in the future." Jack murmured, rubbing Bunny's ears in a way he knew would help relax the upset Pooka. Once Bunny was calm, Jack pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes, gently wiping away both their tears and smiling at his mate.

"So," the sprite continued gently. "What can we do in the future to help prevent this from happening again, to either of us?" Bunny sat back, calming himself and allowing his previously volatile emotions to settle.

"I don't know," Bunny answered, starting to feel drained. Jack, thankfully, caught on quickly and gently pulled the rabbit out of his chair and towards their nest for a nap.

"Alright, but we're discussing this later," Jack whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Bunny's forehead as they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

After creating and implementing a plan not long after the incident, the two's difficulties became few and far between, much to the relief of their friends, and even to the strangers that had previously been caught in the crossfire. Because as everyone who spent any time with them learned early on: a feuding Bunny and Jack were a volatile pair.

It took a few months of their new happiness before someone finally managed to work up the courage to ask what had changed between the two. And their surprisingly mature list of simple rules surprised anyone who dared to ask.

1\. Mandatory uninterrupted time spent together, at least once every few days

2\. All feelings are valid. If you're feeling upset, insecure, angry, etc., you have to say so.

3\. Don't assume. Ask before reacting.

Of course, those rules were hard to follow. And they made mistakes. But at the end of the day, they loved each other. And they made it work.


End file.
